History of the Pallavas of Kanchi c13.16

c13.16

¹ It has been generally supposed that Nandivarman Pallavamalla usurped the Pallava throne soon after Paramēśvaravarman II. This is not at all supported by the evidence furnished by the Vaikuṇṭhaperumāḷ temple sculptures which represent the events that took place immediately after the death of Paramēśvaravarman II leading to the accession of Pallavamalla. The inscriptional evidence has been translated thus in the *Epig. Indica*: ‘After the death of Paramēśvaravarman II, a deputation consisting of the *Matras*, the *Malaprakritis* and the *Ghatakayar* waited on Hiraṇyavarma-Maharaja and represented the fact that the country was without a ruler and requested him to grant them a sovereign. There upon king Hiraṇyavarman sent for the chief potentates (*Kūlamullar*) and enquired which among them would accept the sovereignty. All of them refusing, he asked his sons Srimalla, Raṇamalla, Saṅgrāmamalla and Pallavamalla. Pallavamalla humbly offered to go, but king Hiraṇyavarman was at first unwilling to risk his son, who was then only twelve years of age, in such a perilous undertaking. But Hiraṇyavarman was soon persuaded by Daraṇikoṇḍapōsar to give his consent. Receiving the weapons presented to him both by his father and Daraṇikoṇḍapōsar, Pallavamalla proceeded to Kāñchipuram, crossing on his way several hills, rivers and forests. Hearing of his approach a certain Pallavadi-Araiyar came with a large force, and placed him on an elephant’s back and returned to the city where he was received by the feudatory chiefs, the members of the merchants’ guild, the *mulaprakritis*, and Kadakka-Muttaraiyar. He was then crowned king under the name Nandivarman and with the insignia of *Videlvedugu*, *Samudraghōsha*, *Khaṭavāṅgadavaja* and *Vrishabha lanchhana* by the ministers’ feudatories, the *ghatakayar* and the *ubhaiya-gaṇa*.’ *Epig. Ind.*, vol. xviii, p. 117.